USPS Worker Stole Winning Lottery Ticket From Mail, Cashed It In: FL Officials

BROWARD COUNTY, FL — A U.S. Postal Service worker was arrested for stealing a winning lottery ticket that was bought in Tampa and mailed to Fort Lauderdale, and then cashing it in, according to a Florida Lottery news release.

Lakaysha Lockhart, 28, of Hollywood was arrested on July 23 on charges including grand theft, dealing in stolen property, petty theft, use of a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony, filing a false claim and obtaining mail by fraud or deception, investigators said.

Her arrest followed a joint investigation by the Florida Lottery Division of Security and the USPS Office of Inspector General.

The investigation began after the victim mailed a Pick 4 ticket worth $2,600 at a 7-Eleven in Tampa to a relative in Fort Lauderdale in June, WFLA said. The winner intended for the prize money to be used to help pay for another person’s funeral expenses.

When the ticket never arrived, Florida Lottery investigators determined that it had been redeemed days earlier by Lockhart on June 19.

After her arrest, she admitted to stealing the winning ticket and redeeming it at the agency’s Miami District Office, Florida Lottery said.

“Our players deserve confidence that every Lottery prize is protected through strong security measures and diligent oversight,” Florida Lottery Secretary Reginald D. Dixon said. “I commend our Division of Security for their outstanding investigative work and thank our partners at the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General and the Broward County Sheriff's Office for their collaboration in protecting the integrity of Florida Lottery games and bringing this case to a successful resolution.”

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